PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A former high-ranking Rhode Island lawmaker has been ordered to spend more than four years in prison for stealing private money and misusing public funds.
Ray Gallison, a Democrat and former chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee, was sentenced by a federal judge Friday to spend 51 months in prison.
The 65-year-old Gallison pleaded guilty in March to charges including fraud, identity theft and filing false tax returns.
He acknowledged that he stole $677,000 from the estate of a dead client for whom he was the executor, along with $8,900 from the trust of a person with special needs, among other wrongdoing.
Gallison was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and 100 hours of community service.
His attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
